Delay! The Thief of Accountability.

It may have escaped your notice in the fever surrounding the news cycle on both sides of the pond that Buddhist Pizza Inc. has been subject to a certain amount of investigation, in open session, by governmental committee. As a Global Non-Profit tasked with general philanthropy and alleviating poverty and suffering in the highest earning 1% of the population we are totally transparent and operate to the highest ethical and moral standards. We do not fear detailed questions, we do not reject scrutiny, we welcome intelligent and informed interrogation.

However, under god and the (unwritten) constitution we exercise our democratic right to delay, and have prepared accordingly.

Excuse me, I have to go and watch hell freeze over.

Many thanks to the daily dose for the link, and the daily dose.

Sluts and gonifs

I have to confess that I did not know what a gonif was. Susan McCarthy helpfully, provides a link in her blog commenting on the moral failings, allegedly, of dinosaurs.

Well no one is perfect. I have been known to indulge in Vin Santo myself and give voice but sluts, gonifs and divine retribution?

Three Blind Mice

Less than ten days before the whole sorry mess is subject to the will of the people. There seems little point in adding to the tons of stuff out there but if you have one of these bloggy things and are true netizen of tinterweb it seems a shame not to share.

El Cameron seems to be slightly bemused as to why his obvious breeding and wealth and the manifest failure of his so called opponents have left him looking like the kid who insists it is his turn and you have to give him the bicycle now!

Giordano Bruno is still slugging it out after all these years. The boxer who never fails to get up on the count of eight. Get me the Balham Basher, Peter. I’m sure I can still beat the Balham Basher. But you are the Balham Basher!

The Cleggster or is it the Cleggstar! Haven’t we been here before, 1997?

I have to confess to using the Beeb’s seat calculator with the latest polls to see the likely outcome. You can also put a decent margin for polling error in and the whole thing has an oracular and soothing effect on a fevered brow.

What a relief, chaos and anarchy, it’s official.

Manos Limpias

Thoughtful piece by Giles Tremlett in Th'Observer today about Baltasar Garzon.
You may have heard of him because of his attempt to extradite the slightly chilly General Peanuckle. However he goes back much further than that.
It is interesting that he effectively brought down the controversial socialist government of Felipe Gonzalez, which was mired in Caso Gal, with allegations of corruption and a dirty war against ETA. Felipe, a much underrated character in my view, hits the sweet spot as usual and is quoted in response to an attempt by the supreme court to dismiss the judge ...

"I don't have a very special relationship with this man, but what they are doing is inexplicable and unjust."

So to sum up..

Judge Battasar Garzon

Fought crimes long gone.

The Spanish Supremes

Said only in your dreams.

What we did on our Brithday (63 in a series)

The weather was kind for my sixty third to heaven.
We took ourselves off to the coast and there after a spot of lunch inspected the Navy, much reduced now we are in a period of austerity...
We had a brief artistic interlude where we inspected the front and rear of old Babs...




Then off to the seaside and a good time was had by all. Gracias a la vida.

Not Canadian Enough

Nice little story via the Grauniad Newsbucket.
Open Data not only good like Mom and Apple Pie but also saves money.
It is alleged that 3.2 billion dollars was being illegally sheltered from the revenue in Canada.
The use of open data meant that this was exposed and the abusive activity closed down.
One question; that would pay for an awful lot of red jackets, big hats and horses, wouldn't it? I suppose you do have to buy oats for the horses, hmmm...

Is the Pope a Catholic?

Even though I handed in my papers many years ago I still enjoy seeing a lump or two knocked out of the old theocracy.

Steven Fry makes a very good case for disbanding the old firm and sending it out there to do something worthwhile. It will have a hard time making up for all that evil!

Thanks to John Naughton and his contributors for the link in his blog.

Posh Toffs

So Ian Jack had this article in the Gauniad today, whinging on about the Toffs, and the schools, and Eaton. God, you think he could find something better to do!

He accuses Sir George Young of going to Eaton. Na na Na na na; is what I say.

I saw the Right on Bart earlier in the week, on the telle and I thought to myself, yes, this is tomorrow's man. God he could have your goolies, your liver and your lights off you before you even noticed the difference, and you would say thank you. Lovely chap! Such silky elegance in the face of Paxoid or some other dull, grey Grammar School Slouch. Such charm, such understated wit!

I don't know what his Mare and Pare paid for the sod to be educated at Eton but worth every sov! Today, to educate the old duckling between the ages of 11 and 18 would only set you back about 200k sovs without allowing for the inflation, worth every penny!

Da Liddel Guy

Not to demean old Simon Singh, his height, or even to suggest that he is any age at all, compared to myself, a spring chicken I'm sure. However, if there are any of you out there, double figures at the last count, and you have not already done so please sign the petition at the Libel Reform Campaign site. Go on, go on, go on!

There that didn't hurt did it and those very brave souls who risk their time, sanity and home to hold up some semblance of rationality in this crazy world deserve a wee bit of support.

Sermon over. Now phwat was I saying about that nice Mr Murdoch.

To think it could be so!

Hmm!
Another cracker from Susan McCarthy

And a nice flower

for Easter.

Life is never simple!

So Memex has a nice post. Yes you would want Myriad Genetics to have its socks rot on their dainty corporate feet, even as we speak. So hats off to the lads and lassies at the ACLU for digging in on this one. I have had differences of opinion with them on some things, including the decision about Skokie Illinois.

That is the nature of democracy, of course.

Talking about life, DNA and all that business. No further on with the synthesis of the chemicals or even precursor chemicals for life? Come on there sharpen up. Forget about the old Large Hardon Colander. Bugger the Higgs Boson! We all want to know where life comes from, so to speak.